Combination domestic and firewater pumping system



Dec. 27, 1966 R. F. SCHAUB 3,294,105

COMBINATION DOMESTIC AND FIREWATER PUMPING SYSTEM Filed April 29, 1963 175%72207: R0567! FSchczuZ United States Patent 3,294,105 COMBINATION DOMESTIC AND FIREWATER PUMPING SYSTEM Robert F. Schaub, La Grange, Ill., assignor to Syncroflo, Inc., Downers Grove, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,328 7 Claims. (Cl. 137-110) This invention relates to a tankless pumping system for combined domestic use and fire control use, and it particularly relates to a tankless pumping system which maintains relatively constant pressure in the domestic water supply of relatively tall buildings and which when necessary, will shut off the supply of water to the domestic system and then supply all available water to the buildings fire control system.

Relatively tall buildings are commonly provided with pressure booster systems for maintaining relatively constant water pressure in the building. Also, separate water supply systems are commonly provided in buildings for fire sprinkler systems. However, since the pumps used for the fire control system are seldom, if ever used, there is clearly a substantial loss in a capital investment. Also, since the fire pumps are seldom used, there is a danger that they will not work properly wheen needed. Furthermore, small jockey pumps must be used with the fire pumps so as to maintain the desired pressure in the fire system in order to compensate for small leaks in the system, thereby avoiding the necessity of starting the large fire control pumps. Clearly, it would be highly advantageous if it were possible to eliminate the disadvantages of separate fire control systems by providing a single set of pumps which may be used for both domestic purposes and fire control purposes.

Therefore, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a tankless pumping system wherein the same set of pumps may be used both for domestic use and for fire control use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a tankless pumping system wherein the water for domestic use may be shut off in order that the available water may be used for fire control.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a pumping system for supplying water for both domestic use and fire control use, wherein higher pressures are provided for fire control use.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pumping system which maintains full pressure in the fire control system while water is being supplied to the domestic system.

It is an additional object of this invention to insure the proper workability of pumps for fire control use by using the same pumps for the domestic water supply.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a tankless pumping system useful for domestic and fire control purposes which is characterized by its simplicity and economy of construction.

Further purposes and objects of this invention will ap-- pear as the specification proceeds.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of a tankless pumping system illustrating my invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic view of the control means used for activating or inactivating the pressure regulators used in the domestic system.

The system, as shown, takes water from a supply source, indicated at 10, which maybe the usual city water main or which may lead to a tank or Well which may or may not have a separate pump. The water taken from the source 10 is pumped under increased pressure through ice a water supply conduit 12. The water supply conduit 12 is divided into a fire water supply conduit or branch 14 and a domestic water supply conduit or branch 16. The domestic water supply conduit 16 is further divided into three conduits 18, 20 and 22, which are in parallel connection. The fire water supply conduit 14 leads to the fire sprinkler system for the building, and the domestic water supply conduit 16 leads to various points of demand throughout the building.

In the system, as illustrated, three pumps are employed, the first of which, indicated at 24, is a relatively low capacity pump, and the second and third pumps 26 and 28 are of greater capacity. The pumps 26 and 28 may be of the same capacity or of different capacities, depending upon the exact system requirements, but normally have the same capacity. Each of the pumps discharges into the water supply conduit 12. Check valves 30 are provided at the discharge side of each of the pumps in order to prevent back flow of water into the pumps.

The capacity of the low capacity pump 24, known as the lead pump, can be approximately 25% of the peak demand of the domestic system so that during normal operation, only this pump will be running for a greater part of the day so as to provide economical operation. The pump 24 is operated by a motor 32 or other suitable drive means, such as gas, gasoline, or diesel engines.

The pump 24 supplies water to the water supply conduit 12 at a discharge pressure at least equal to that required for the fire water supply conduit 14. When the fire control system is full of water and when there is no requirement for water in the fire control system, the check valve 34 in the fire water supply conduit 14 maintains substantially constant pressure in the fire conduit 14. As is conventional, the fire control system operates when the temperature in an area having a sprinkler system reaches a predetermined temperature and causes the opening of a series of sprinkler heads.

As with the low capacity pump 24, the second and third pumps 26 and 28 are each provided with motors 36 and 38 for operating the pumps. As shown, one side of each of the motors is grounded, and the other side is electrical 1y connected to a flow regulator 40. The flow regulator 40 receives electrical power from a power source or control board 42, one side of which may also be grounded.

The flow regulator 40 may be connected through conduits 44 to opposite sides of an orifice or restriction 46 in the domestic water supply conduit 16. The flow regulator 40 is responsive to flow through the conduit 16 and is adapted to cause one or more of the pumps 24, 26 and 28 to operate by activating one or more of the pressure regulators 48, 50 and 52. Thus, when the low capacity pump 24 is operating, the pressure regulator 48 will be activated and water will flow through the first conduit 18. When there is increased flow, the larger capacity pump 26 and pressure regulator 50 are activated allowing Water to flow through conduit 20, while the pump 24 and pressure regulator 48 are inactivated by the flow regulator 40. In a similar manner, with increased flow, the flow regulator 40 will cause both pumps 24 and 26 and pressure regulators 48 and 50 to be activated simultaneously, whereby water will flow through both conduit 18 and conduit 20. Still further, when the fi-ow regulator 40 indicates an even higher flow rate, both higher capacity pumps 26 and 28, which may have a capacity of approximately 55% of the peak system demand, and the pressure regulators 50 and 52 will be activated, while inactivating the pressure regulator 48 and pump 24. Thus, several pumps in the pumping system can be so proportioned and controlled with respect to each other so as to provide highly economical operation from the standpoint of both cost and installation.

3 Thus, by selecting a low capacity pump 24 having approximately 25% ot the peak system demand and two pumps 26 and 28 having approximately 55% of the peak system demand, the pumps may be operated alternately or in unison to provide the desired capacity.

With reference to FIGURE 2, since each of the pressure regulating valves 48, 50 and 52 are similarly constructed, a detailed description will be provided =for the pressure regulator 48 only. When there is less than 25% of peak demand-flowing through the water supply conduit 16. The flow regulator 40 will, through suitable electrical means, activate both the pump 24 and the solenoid valve 54. When the flow exceeds 25%, the regulator 40 -will electrically inactivate both the pump 24 and the valve 54. With the valve 54 closed, the water in conduit 56 applies full line pressure against the upper surface of the diaphragm 58 in the upper chamber 60 of the regulator 48, thereby causing the valve 62 to shut olt the flow of water through the regulator 48.

When the solenoid valve 54 is activated and open, a portion of the pressurized water fi'ows through the conduit 56 and into the upper chamber 60, and a portion of the water continues through the conduit 64 and to the discharge side of the regulator 48. The quantity of water which is directed into the upper chamber 60 is controlled by the downstream pressure in the conduit 64, which is in turn controlled by the setting of the pilot regulator valve 66, which is generally similar to the main regulator.

The pilot valve 66 is controlled by a diaphragm 68 which is urged downwardly to open the valve 70 by means of a spring 72, which isadjustable by means of an adjusting screw 74. Located between the solenoid valve 54 and the pilot valve '66 is a check valve 76, which prevents back fl-ow of water in case the pressure in the conduit 56 fails. Also, an ejector 78 is located ahead of the pilot valve 66. The higher the pressure in the conduit 64 in relation to the set pressure of the pilot regulator valve 66, the greater is the pressure that is applied to the upper chamber 60 and the diaphragm 58, thereby reducing the downstream pressure by lowering the valve 62.

It is an important feature of this invention that, when a fire causes the sprinkler system to open, flow sensing means 80 in the fire water supply conduit 14 indicates that there is water flowing in the conduit 14. The flow sensing means 80 de-energizes each or the pilot control solenoids 54, through the flow regulator 40, thereby applying ttull line pressure to the upper surfaces of the diaphragms 58 and closing the flow of water through the conduits v18, 20 and 22. At the same time, by suitable electrical connections, the sensing means '80 also causes the motors 32, 36 and 38 to be energized so as to operate all the pumps.

Thus, the full capacity of all the pumps in the system is diverted to the fire control supply line 14 at the desired fire control system pressure since all pressure regulators are by-passed. The full capacity of all the pumps is directed to the fire system until the flow sensing means 80 is manually reset in order to supply water to the domestic Water supply line 16. Although in the described system, all the pumps direct water to the fire control system when needed, one modification of the described system is that one or more pumps, as the low capacity pump 24, may remain connected to the domestic supply line in order to supply water thereto, while all the other pumps are supplying water to the fire system.

As illustrated in the drawings, when there are relatively long periods of zero or substantially zero demand from the domestic system, when centrifugal pumps are being, used, the friction from the impellers heats the water within the pump casing until a dangerous temperature is reached. In order to prevent such a condition, a .temperature sensing means 82 is placed at or near the discharge side of each of the pumps. Upon sensing an undesirably high temperature of water, the solenoid valve 84 is energize-d and opened so as to permit the heated Water to escape through the valve 84 and the drain line 86. When cool water is brought into the pump casing, the sensing means 82 de-energizes and closes the solenoid valves 84.

While the exact pressures for which the regulators are adjusted will vary depending upon the system, it is contemplated that the regulator for the low capacity pump 24 will be set at a itew pounds less pressure than the regulator for pump 26, which will in turn be set a few pounds lower than the regulator for pumps 26 and 28. Assuming that it is desired to maintain a pressure of about 70 pounds per square inch in the domestic water supply conduit 16, the regulator for the smaller pump 24 may be set for about 67 pounds per square inch, the regulator for pump 26 for about 70 pounds per square inch and the regulator for pump 28 for about 73 pounds per square inch. With these settings, when the demand for water is low and the flow through the pipe is low, the pressure drop is minimal. As the demand increases, and pressure drop due to flow correspondingly increase, the pumping system will supply water through the pressure regulators, at a higher pressure to the main supply conduit so that the discharge pressure at the various fixtures Will be maintained relatively constant. Further, since no pres sure regulators are interposed between the pumps and the fire water supply conduit, the pressure to the fire control system will be at the -full discharge pressure of .the pumps, as determined by the instantaneous capacity of the pumps, thereby providing higher pressure to the fire control system than to the domestic system.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be understood that it is illustrative only and not to be taken as a definition of the scope of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims. What is claimed is:

1. A tankless pumping system for combined domestic use and fire control use, said system comprising a water supply line having a fire water supply branch and a domestic water supply branch, a plurality of pumps of different sizes for delivering water under pressure to the water supply line and thereby to both of said branches, means energizing at least one of said pumps for delivering water to the domestic water supply branch commensurate with the demand therein, means for signaling the flow of water in the fire water supply branch, and means responsive to said signaling means for closing the flow of Water to said domestic water supply line and for energizing all of said pumps, whereby water pumped by said pumps is directed to the fire Water supply branch.

2. A tankless pumping system for combined domestic use and fire control use, said system comprising a water supply line having a domestic water supply branch and a fire water supply branch, a plurality of pumps for delivering water to both of said branches, means energizing at least one of said pumps to deliver water commensurate with the demand for water, pressure regulator means for regulating the pressure in the domestic water supply line, means for signaling flow of fluid through the fire water supply branch, and means responsive to the signaling means for inactivating and closing the flow of fluid through the pressure regulator means and for energizing the pumps in order to supply available water, at the full capacity of the pumps, to the fire water supply branch.

3. A tankless pumping system for combined domestic connected in parallel in said domestic water supply branch, each of the pressure regulators having de-activating means for stopping the flow of water therethrough, and means for signaling the flow of fluid in said fire water supply branch, said signaling means causing said de-activating means to close the fiow of water through at least some of said pressure regulators, said signaling means also energizing the pumps in order to supply water to the fire water supply branch.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said de-activating means are solenoid valves, which when energized activate the pressure regulator valves and allow the passage of water therethrough, and which when de-energized inactivate the pressure regulators and stop the flow of water therethrough.

5. A tankless pumping system for combined domestic use and fire control use, said system comprising a plurality of pumps connected in parallel between a supply source and a water supply line, said water supply line having a domestic water supply branch and a firewater supply branch, pressure regulator valves connected in parallel in said domestic water supply line, solenoid valves for operating said pressure regulator valves for allowing the passage of Water through said regulator valves and also for shutting off the flow of water through said regulator valves, said solenoid valves allowing flow of water through said domestic supply branch when the-re is no flow of water through said fire control branch, and flow sensing means in said fire water supply branch for signaling the flow of fluid in said fire control supply line, the signal produced by said flow being effective to close at least some of said solenoid valves and inactivate said pressure regulator valves while at the same time energizing all of said pumps whereby a maximum amount of the available water is applied to the fire control supply branch at full pump capacity.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1940 Ginnaty 137l18 XR 6/1959 Buck l031l 

1. A TANKLESS PUMPING SYSTEM FOR COMBINED DOMESTIC USE AND FIRE CONTROL USE, SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING A WATER SUPPLY LINE HAVING A FIRE WATER SUPPLY BRANCH AND A DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY BRANCH, A PLURALITY OF PUMPS OF DIFFERENT SIZES FOR DELIVERING WATER UNDER PRESSURE TO THE WATER SUPPLY LINE AND THEREBY TO BOTH OF SAID BRANCHES, MEANS ENERGIZING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PUMPS FOR DELIVERING WATER TO THE DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY BRANCH COMMENSURATE WITH THE DEMAND THEREIN, MEANS FOR SIGNALING THE FLOW OF WATER IN THE FIRE WATER SUPPLY BRANCH, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO SAID SIGNALING MEANS FOR CLOSING THE FLOW OF WATER TO SAID DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY LINE AND FOR ENERGIZING ALL OF SAID PUMPS, WHEREBY WATER PUMPED BY SAID PUMPS IS DIRECTED TO THE FIRE WATER SUPPLY BRANCH. 